Exchange Server 2003 Environment Documentation

As the business and network infrastructure changes, it's not uncommon for the messaging infrastructure to change as well. Keep track of these changes as they progress through baselines (how the Exchange Server 2003 environment was built) and other forms of documentation, such as the configuration settings and connectivity diagrams of the environment.

Server Build Procedures

The server build procedure is a detailed set of instructions for building the Exchange Server 2003 system. This document can be used for troubleshooting and adding new servers, and is a critical resource in the event of a disaster.

The following is an example of a table of contents from a server build procedure document:

 Windows Server 2003 Build Procedures         System Configuration Parameters         Configure the Server Hardware                 Install Vendor Drivers                 Configure RAID         Install and Configure Windows Server 2003                 Using Images                 Scripted Installations         Applying Windows Server 2003 Security                 Using a Security Template                 Using GPOs                 Configuring Antivirus                 Installing Service Packs and Critical Updates         Backup Client Configuration Exchange Server 2003 Build Procedures         System Configuration Parameters         Configuring Exchange as a Mailbox Server                 Creating Storage Groups                 Creating Databases         Configuring Exchange as a Public Folder Server                 Creating a Public Folder Database         Configuring Front-end Functionality                 Configuring SSL 

Configuration (As-Built) Documentation

The configuration document, often referred to as an as-built, details a snapshot configuration of the Exchange Server 2003 system as it is built. This document contains essential information required to rebuild a server.

The following is an Exchange Server 2003 server as-built document template:

 Introduction The purpose of this Exchange Server 2003 as-built document is to assist an  experienced network administrator or engineer in restoring the server in the event of a  hardware failure. This document contains screen shots and configuration settings for the  server at the time it was built. If settings are not implicitly defined in this document,  they are assumed to be set to defaults. It is not intended to be a comprehensive disaster  recovery with step-by-step procedures for rebuilding the server. In order for this  document to remain useful as a recovery aid, it must be updated as configuration settings  change. System Configuration         Hardware Summary         Disk Configuration                 Logical Disk Configuration         System Summary         Device Manager         RAID Configuration         Windows Server 2003 TCP/IP Configuration         Network Adapter Local Area Connections Security Configuration         Services         Lockdown Procedures (Checklist)         Antivirus Configuration Share List Applications and Configurations 

Topology Diagrams

Network configuration diagrams, such as the one shown in Figure 20.2, and related documentation generally include local area network (LAN) connectivity, wide area network (WAN) infrastructure connectivity, IP subnet information, critical servers, network devices, and more. Having accurate diagrams of the new environment can be invaluable when troubleshooting connectivity issues. For topology diagrams that can be used for troubleshooting connectivity issues, consider documenting the following:

• Internet service provider contact names , including technical support contact information

• Connection type (such as frame relay, ISDN, OC-12)

• Link speed

• Committed Information Rate (CIR)

• Endpoint configurations, including routers used

• Message flow and routing

Figure 20.2. A sample network diagram.